The Ten Commandments – part 2

Posted: April 8, 2009

2. The Ten Commandments are for everybody.

I will continue to look at the Ten Commandments and how they can solve all of the world’s problems. I am relying heavily on a talk given by Steven R. Covey at Brigham Young University on 27 May 1975 (see here), for introductory parameters that must be kept in mind for the Commandments to supply the answers to the world’s problems. This is simply because it happens to be the talk I was listening to when this idea came to me. I will use other talks, scriptures, and such throughout this series. The first post looked at how the Ten Commandments are but a stepping stone to receiving more detailed and personal revelation. This post will look at how the Ten Commandments can, and should, be followed by everybody on the planet, at all times of human existence.

To start off, Steven R. Covey has an interesting take on the role of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, which we read about in the scriptures. This Spirit of Christ is given to all humans, and is sometimes refered to as a conscience, common sense, or decency.

Let’s look at one more scripture with regard to the Spirit of Jesus Christ:

Which light [he’s speaking of the Light of Christ] proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space–

The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things. [D&C 88:12­13]

And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings. [D&C 88:11]

From this we learn that the Light of Christ is the creative and governing power for all things in this universe and for all of God’s creations. It is everywhere present.

What is really the power and spirit of God, we call the Light of Jesus Christ, and if it were to be withdrawn from us we would lose our life immediately. Moses experienced a time of a partial withdrawal, and he fell to the earth and for the space of many hours he did not even have his natural strength and he proclaimed: “Now . . . I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed” (Moses 1:10). I believe that what the scientist calls nature is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. I believe that what the Catholic and Protestant worlds call God is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And perhaps this is what all religions call God. It is everywhere present; it can dwell in a man’s heart. I believe that what the humanist would call decency and what the man on the street would call common sense is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. We all are partakers of the Spirit. The civilized world has the Spirit of Jesus Christ; and if the people obey it, they will be led to the covenant gospel probably through members of the Church and missionaries. They will pray in their own ways. I’ll never forget the great impression I had in the Irish Mission when I wrote to new converts to obtain an understanding of their background and their conversion process. It was almost universal that they had been praying in some way or hungering in some way, not necessarily in our way but in some way they were hurting and desiring something more, and many of them were trying to be truer to their consciences. They were being prepared by the Spirit of the Lord.

Covey shows that the light of Christ is in all things, and fills the immensity of space, and is what enlightens and quickens every human being. I like how he explores that the light of Christ is perhaps what other religions see as God or common sense or decency. This is a common starting ground. Something that everyone can agree on that is influential in every person’s life. Everyone can agree that there is some aspect of a human being that prompts, guides, enlightens, influences, suggests, and nudges a person in regards to what is right and what is wrong. If every person, taking just a moment to seriously reflect on what motivates and guides their understanding of morality and values, of decency and correctness, will acknowledge that there is some force that intuitively instructs them.